TTC to begin random drug and alcohol testing

A judge has ruled in their favour, denying an application for an injuction, that had been filed by the union over random drug and alcohol testing.

The issue was first brought to light back in 2011, when a TTC bus collided with a flatbed truck, resulting in the death of a woman on board the bus.

The driver refused a drug test, but police later found marijuana in his duffel bag.

"There has been an ongoing arbitration case, but we feel it's been taking too long in our view and we felt we needed to get on with random testing. When the union heard that, they filed an injuction and the court heard that injunction and sided with the TTC." says spokesperson Brad Ross.

He says that means random drug and alcohol testing could start as early as later this month.

It won't be all employees who will be subjected to testing, but the 10 thousand employees in safety sensitive positions are part of the TTC's random testing program, including designated management positions and all executives. The TTC will randomly test 20% of its workforce annually.

"The TTC is not interested in knowing what you did on the weekend or that you smoke marijuana recreationally, provided when you come to work, you are not impaired." says Ross.